PLO vs NLHE

[Paul2432]

I've been comparing the 2/4 NLHE and 2/4 PLO (high) games on Pokerstars ($400 max buy-in). I've noticed that far more often the PLO game will have a player with a gigantic stack (say $2500+) than the NLHE game.

My questions: Does PLO offer an expert a greater advantage and thus the ability to build a huge stack? If so, what specific skills does the expert have that give her this large advantage?

Or on the other hand, does PLO simply due to the greater number of cards compared to NLHE, offer many more made hand versus big draw confrontations? A large stack is created by simply getting lucky on three or four coin flip situations in a row.

My reason for asking is probably obvious. I find the possibility of building a huge stack very attractive. However, if it is all due to variance and none to a possibly higher EV in PLO then I would probably not be interested.

Thanks,
Paul

[Al_Capone_Junior]

Even the "stupidest of complete ******* idiots who have no business being allowed to LIVE," let alone play cards for money, will quickly figure out that in omaha high, you play for the nuts or you don't play. Such players will never figure out in NLHE, because it's so much less obvious how to play it well. That's why I ply NLHE rather than omaha.

al

[Greg (FossilMan)]

Tell that to all the PLO players, because there sure are a lot of them that haven't figured that out yet.

later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

[Al_Capone_Junior]

[crockpot]

if you can find me a NLHE player who will call a limp-reraise all-in with a pair of twos, then sit him in a PLO game and watch him fold Q8xx on a JT9 flop with two to a suit, i will be duly impressed.

yes, to the good player these are both obvious folds. but the bad player will make these calls in both games. i just believe these opportunities come up more often in PLO (and even more often in PLO8) than in NLHE.

and yes, if you are playing against people who learn as they go along, PLO will eventually become a less profitable game than NLHE. however, PLO appears very confusing and difficult to the beginners, and most of them use strategies that are more easily exploitable than in NLHE.

if you're playing NLHE well, then you'll probably earn more than you will playing PLO just decently. playing against complete morons you will win more at NLHE because you can overbet the pot on your big hands and get calls. but playing as well as you can in both games against typically bad online players, i think PLO is slightly better.